Todd Sanaxay caught his personal-best smallmouth bass to share Fish of the Week. | Provided
Finn Sanaxay caught his personal-best smallmouth bass and Tommy Hall caught his PB largemouth bass to share Fish of the Week honors.
The kids are catching their personal-best bass.
Jim Sanaxay sent a photograph of his son Finn, 3, who caught his PB smallmouth bass from the Fox River last week.
“The fishing was on fire as he caught three of them back to back to back!,” Sanaxay messaged.
“Back to back to back” has a good ring to it.
Jim Hall sent a photo of the PB largemouth bass his son Tommy caught from a Lemont quarry on a Googan Baits Bandito Bug.
“Between myself and my two sons, we caught over a dozen largemouth bass in a few hours,” he emailed. “Nothing of size besides this hog!”
ProvidedTommy Hall caught his personal-best largemouth bass.
And that is a good largemouth, whether young or old.
FOTW, the celebration of big fish and their stories (the stories matter, as this one shows) around Chicago fishing, runs Wednesdays in the paper Sun-Times. The online posting here at https://chicago.suntimes.com/outdoors goes up at varied days of the week, depending on what is going on the wide world of the outdoors.
Jeremy Hylka posted a $10,000 bail and was released Tuesday morning, Joliet police said.
A former teacher for the Catholic Diocese of Joliet was arrested and booked Tuesday on charges of inappropriate communication with a child.
Jeremy Hylka, 44, posted a $10,000 bail and was released, Joliet police said in a statement.
Hylka had been hospitalized for an unspecified reason since he was charged in late April with traveling to meet a child and grooming, police said.
A Snapchat video allegedly showed Hylka engage in inappropriate behavior with someone he thought was a 15-year-old boy. But the person was really a 19-year-old man who posed as a minor, police said.
The Joliet Diocese fired Hylka from teaching at three of its schools, and later admitted that Hylka never met the requirements to teach full time.
Lynne Scheffler, principal of St. Joseph Catholic School in Lockport, was placed on administrative leave while officials “examine the circumstances” of Hylka’s employment, the diocese said last week.
Hylka also taught at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church and the Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus, both in Joliet, according to the diocese.
Palestinian mourners carry the body of 11-year-old Hussain Hamad, who was killed by an explosion during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, during his funeral in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza Strip, Tuesday, May 11, 2021. | AP
Egypt was trying to broker a cease-fire, but the cycle of violence was gaining momentum.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — A confrontation between Israel and Hamas sparked by weeks of tensions in contested Jerusalem escalated Tuesday. Israel unleashed new airstrikes on Gaza, killing a number of militants and civilians, while militants barraged southern Israel with hundreds of rockets, killing two Israelis.
Since sundown Monday, 26 Palestinians — including nine children and a woman— were killed in Gaza, most by airstrikes, health officials there said. The Israeli military said at least 16 of the dead were militants.
Two women were killed by rockets fired from Gaza that hit their homes in the southern city of Ashkelon — the first Israeli deaths in the current violence. At least 10 other Israelis have been wounded since Monday evening.
After those deaths, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said officials decided to “increase both the strength and rate of the strikes” against militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip.
“Hamas will receive blows now that it didn’t expect,” he said.
Egypt was trying to broker a cease-fire, but the cycle of violence was gaining momentum. Even before the two Israeli deaths, the Israeli military said it was sending troop reinforcements to the Gaza border and the defense minister ordered the mobilization of 5,000 reserve soldiers.
The barrage of rockets and airstrikes was preceded by hours of clashes Monday between Palestinians and Israeli security forces, including dramatic confrontations at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, a sacred site to both Jews and Muslims. The current violence, like previous rounds, including the last intifada, or uprising, has been fueled by conflicting claims over Jerusalem, which is at the emotional core of the long conflict.
In a sign of widening unrest, hundreds of residents of Arab communities across Israel staged overnight demonstrations denouncing the recent actions of Israeli security forces against Palestinians. It was one of the largest protests by Palestinian citizens in Israel in recent years.
Israel and Hamas have fought three wars and numerous skirmishes since the militant group seized control of Gaza in 2007. Recent rounds of fighting have usually ended after a few days, often helped by behind-the-scenes mediation by Qatar, Egypt and others.
An Egyptian official confirmed that the country was trying to broker a truce. But the official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was discussing sensitive diplomacy, said Israeli actions in Jerusalem had complicated those efforts. A Palestinian security official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the cease-fire efforts.
Israel carried out dozens of airstrikes, including two that targeted high-rise apartment buildings where militants were believed to be hiding.
At midday, an airstrike hit an apartment building in central Gaza City, sending terrified residents running into the street, including women and barefoot children. The Islamic Jihad militant group confirmed that the strike killed three of its commanders.
An earlier airstrike struck another high-rise in the city as people were conducting dawn prayers, killing a woman, her 19-year-old disabled son and another man, residents said. Health officials confirmed the deaths.
Ashraf al-Kidra, spokesman for the Gaza Health Ministry, said a total of 26 people, including nine children and the woman, were killed and 122 people were wounded. He said Israel’s “relentless assault” was overwhelming the health care system, which has been struggling with a COVID-19 outbreak.
The escalation comes at a time of political limbo in Israel.
Netanyahu has been caretaker prime minister since an inconclusive parliamentary election in March. He tried and failed to form a coalition government with his hard-line and ultra-Orthodox allies, and the task was handed to his political rivals last week.
One of those rivals is Israel’s defense minister, who is overseeing the Gaza campaign. It was not clear whether the toxic political atmosphere is spilling over into military decision-making, though the rival camps have unanimously expressed support for striking Hamas hard.
The support of an Arab-backed party with Islamist roots is key for the anti-Netanyahu bloc’s efforts. But the current tensions might deter the party’s leader, Mansour Abbas, from joining a coalition for now. The sides have three more weeks to reach a deal.
The current round of violence in Jerusalem coincided with the start of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan in mid-April.
Critics say heavy-handed police measures helped stoke nightly unrest, including a decision to temporarily seal off a popular gathering spot where Palestinian residents would meet after evening prayers. Another flashpoint was the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, where dozens of Palestinians are under threat of eviction by Jewish settlers.
Over the weekend, confrontations erupted at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, which is the third holiest site of Islam and the holiest site in Judaism.
Over several days, Israel police fired tear gas, stun grenades and rubber bullets at Palestinians in the compound who hurled stones and chairs. At times, police fired stun grenades into the carpeted mosque.
On Monday evening, Hamas began firing rockets from Gaza, setting off air raid sirens as far as Jerusalem. From there on, the escalation was rapid.
Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, an Israeli military spokesman, said Gaza militants fired more than 500 rockets at Israel, with about one-third falling short and landing in Gaza.
The rocket fire was so intense that Israel’s Iron Dome rocket-defense system appeared to be overwhelmed. At midday, a barrage of some 10 rockets whizzed above the southern city of Ashdod, filling the skies with streaks of white smoke.
A rocket that hit an apartment building in the coastal Israeli city of Ashkelon injured six people, according to Israeli paramedic service Magen David Adom. A building in Ashdod was also hit, lightly wounding four, Israeli police said.
Conricus said the military hit 130 targets in Gaza, including two tunnels militants were digging under the border with Israel.
He did not address Gaza Health Ministry reports about the dead children.
In Gaza, most of the deaths were attributed to airstrikes. However, seven of the deaths were members of a single family, including three children, who died in an explosion in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun. It was not clear if the blast was caused by an Israeli airstrike or errant rocket.
Dozens of mourners took part in the funeral of Hussein Hamad, an 11-year-old boy who was among the dead.
Israel struck scores of Gaza homes in its 2014 war with Hamas, arguing it was aiming at militants, but also killing many civilians. The practice drew broad international condemnation at the time.
Israel’s tactics in Jerusalem have drawn angry reactions from the Muslim world. Regional power house Saudi Arabia on Monday condemned what it said were attacks by Israeli forces against the sanctity of Al-Aqsa and the safety of its worshippers.
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Federman reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writers Karin Laub in the West Bank, Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem and Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed.
Panthers goaltender Chris Driedger, left, defends the goal against the Lightning’s Daniel Walcott (85) during the first period of Monday’s game. | Lynne Sladky/AP
Roughly 3% of NHL players are Black, even though hockey and its teams have increased efforts in recent years to add to diversity within the sport through various feeder programs.
SUNRISE, Fla. — Daniel Walcott was already excited to be in his first NHL game. He got even more excited when he got to see how his debut would happen.
The Tampa Bay Lightning started three Black forwards in their regular-season finale against the Florida Panthers on Monday night, a rarity in NHL history — if not an absolute first. Walcott, Mathieu Joseph and Gemel Smith were out together for the opening faceoff and didn’t know they would be starting together until just minutes before game time.
“First of all, they’re all in the NHL for a reason,” Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. “They deserve to be here and have worked their tails off. To have them all together, they had a little chemistry. Moving forward in the league, you hope it isn’t a story anymore and will be the norm. It was a pretty cool moment for all those guys.”
Florida won the game, 4-0. The teams will meet in the first round of the NHL playoffs that start this weekend.
Roughly 3% of NHL players are Black, even though hockey and its teams have increased efforts in recent years to add to diversity within the sport through various feeder programs, some of them funded by the league.
The starting lineup was even applauded by the Panthers. Florida forward Anthony Duclair, who is Black, said he noticed it in the Panthers’ locker room pregame and was moved.
“That’s great to see,” Duclair said. “The way that the NHL is moving forward, it’s great to see for those guys and I’m sure it was a special night for them.”
It’s unclear how many times such a trio of Black forwards have been on the ice together in any pro league before, but it has happened — at least in the minor leagues.
Earlier this season in the American Hockey League, the Los Angeles’ Kings top affiliate in Ontario, California, dressed an all-Black line of Akil Thomas, Quinton Byfield and Devante Smith-Pelly. Thomas is one of the Kings’ top prospects, Byfield as the No. 2 pick in the 2020 draft was the highest Black player selected in NHL history and Smith-Pelly was a playoff hero for the Washington Capitals when they won the Stanley Cup in 2018.
Thomas told reporters in March that his father, Khalil Thomas, once played on a team that started five Black players — everyone but the goalie — in the minors.
“Hopefully one of these days we’ll see that happen,” Akil Thomas said.
Smith was in his fifth game of the season and Joseph has been in the lineup for all 56 Tampa Bay games in 2020-21.
“It was great, man,” Joseph said. “A step in the right direction. It was fun to have some progress and it was great to see and I was glad I was part of it. … Any players of color in this league want to showcase to our families or other people of color. I thank the coaching staff for doing this.”
Walcott said he hopes young Black kids with an interest in hockey look at something like Monday night and find hope. He said he got the word from Cooper on Sunday night that he was likely to make his debut, but wasn’t told who his linemates would be for the game.
“A whirlwind of emotion, a long time coming,” Walcott said. “To get into that starting lineup was great. … Coop did something really special here to promote this for young kids.”
Medics and friends help a woman board an ambulance at a school after a shooting in Kazan, Russia, Tuesday, May 11, 2021. Russian media report that several people have been killed and four wounded in a school shooting in the city of Kazan. Russia’s state RIA Novosti news agency reported the shooting took place Tuesday morning, citing emergency services. | AP
Russian media said the 19-year-old gunman was a former student at the school who called himself “a god” on his account on the messaging app Telegram and promised to “kill a large amount of biomass” on the morning of the shooting.
MOSCOW — A gunman launched an attack on a school in the Russian city of Kazan that left at least nine people dead Tuesday — including seven youngsters — and sent students running out of the building as smoke poured from one of the windows.
At least 21 others were hospitalized, six in extremely grave condition, authorities said.
The attacker, identified only as a 19-year-old, was arrested, officials said. They gave no immediate details on a motive.
But Russian media said the gunman was a former student at the school who called himself “a god” on his account on the messaging app Telegram and promised to “kill a large amount of biomass” on the morning of the shooting.
Attacks on schools are rare in Russia, and President Vladimir Putin reacted by ordering the head of the country’s National Guard to revise regulations on the types of weapons allowed for civilian use.
Four boys and three girls, all eighth-graders, died, as well as a teacher and another school employee, said Rustam Minnikhanov, governor of the Tatarstan republic, where Kazan is the capital.
Footage released by Russian media showed students dressed in black and white running out of the building. Another video depicted shattered windows, a stream of smoke coming out of one, and the sound of gunfire. Dozens of ambulances lined up at the entrance.
Russian media said while some students were able to escape, others were trapped inside during the ordeal.
“The terrorist has been arrested, 19 years old. A firearm is registered in his name. Other accomplices haven’t been established. An investigation is underway,” Minnikhanov said.
Authorities said the 21 hospitalized included 18 children.
Authorities announced a day of mourning on Wednesday and canceled all classes in Kazan schools. Authorities tightened security at all schools in the city of about 1.2 million people, 430 miles east of Moscow.
The deadliest school attack in Russia took place in 2004 in the city of Beslan, when Islamic militants took more 1,000 people hostage for several days. The siege ended in gunfire and explosions, leaving 334 dead, more than half of them children.
In 2018, a teenager killed 20 people at his vocational school before killing himself in Kerch, a city in the Russian-annexed peninsula of Crimea. In the wake of that attack, Putin ordered authorities to tighten control over gun ownership. But most of the proposed legislative changes were turned down by the parliament or the government, the Kommersant newspaper reported.
Russian lawmaker Alexander Khinshtein said on Telegram that the suspect in the Kazan attack received a permit for a shotgun less than two weeks ago and that the school had no security aside from a panic button.
Authorities in Tatarstan ordered checks on all gun owners in the region.
Putin extended condolences to the families of the victims and ordered the government to give them all necessary assistance. Russian officials promised to pay families roughly $13,500 each and give $2,700-$5,400 to the wounded.
The Kremlin sent a plane with doctors and medical equipment to Kazan, and the country’s health and education ministers headed to the region.
Chicago is poised to make a triumphant return to normalcy (or something close to it) this summer, and one of the most highly anticipated events of the festival season is the Windy City Smokeout. According to a recent press release, the country music and BBQ festival is confirmed to take place Thursday, July 8, through Sunday, July 11, 2021, adding a fourth day to what has, in past years, been a three-day lineup of legendary music acts and delicious BBQ.
Country fans can feast their ears on the music of Dierks Bentley, Darius Rucker, Hailey Whitters, and a host of other country music stars. As the first summer festival to return as part of Chicago’s reopening, this promises to be one of the biggest live music events of the season.
screenshot via Windy City Smokeout website
Get ready to sing along to your favorite tunes in between bites— while taking in the sights and sounds of the Smokeout, you would be crazy not to take advantage of the smells and tastes of the world’s best BBQ. From Louisiana to Texas, St. Louis, Nashville, and beyond (Chicago obviously has a few of its own must-try spots), the nation’s hottest BBQ destinations will be well-represented this July, and are bringing all the smoky, tender meats you’re craving. Wash it all down with some craft beer, and it might just start feeling like a “normal” summer.
The Smokeout has also appointed a Safety, Health and Security team to ensure festival-goers’ well-being. Working with public health officials, the team will be responsible for implementing a detailed safety plan which includes sanitizing public areas, maintaining hand-washing stations, enforcing mask-wearing, and screening attendees for either confirmed vaccination or (for the unvaccinated) a recent negative COVID test.
Those interested in attending can purchase single-day or four-day passes (each available at general admission and VIP pricing), though general admission day passes for Saturday, July 10, have already sold out, according to the festival’s Facebook page. VIP passes include express festival entry, access to VIP restrooms, and festival re-entry.
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Check out the Windy City Smokeout’s official website for more details pertaining to the festival’s music and BBQ lineups, as well as health and safety protocols.
Featured Image Credit: Windy City Smokeout on Facebook
Chicago House Athletic Club, Chicago’s newest professional soccer team, announced Open Tryouts from 9:00am to 1:00pm on May 22nd & 23rd at ComEd Recreation Center, located at 1434 S. Loomis Street in Chicago. Registration for this Open Tryout is required, and prospective players can now register by visiting www.chicagohouseac.com/open-tryouts. There is a $100 registration fee to participate in this tryout. When registering, players are asked to fill out all the required information completely.
This two-day tryout is limited to the first 60 players that register online, and players must be present for both days in order to be eligible for consideration on Chicago House AC’s inaugural team. For the 2021 season, Chicago House AC plans on rostering 24 players, consisting of 21 field players and 3 goalkeepers. There are also plans to have a group of alternates or training players. Only players with valid U.S. Passports or valid Green Cards are eligible for the tryout and for consideration for a roster spot.
“We’re looking forward to watching these prospective players express themselves as individuals on the field at their respective positions,” says Chicago House AC Head Coach & Technical Director, C.J. Brown. “We have an opportunity to build something special and it starts with these Open Tryouts.”
In an effort to create the most safe and healthy environment possible, Chicago House AC has implemented the following COVID-19 Protocols for the Open Tryouts at ComEd Recreation Center:
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All participants are encouraged to be fully vaccinated prior to taking part in Open Tryouts (information on how to find a vaccination site near you can be found HERE.
Upon arrival each participant should check in at the registration table which will be located next to the field. Chicago AC staff will be present to provide instructions.
Each participant will be asked to complete any pending registration documents/waivers.
Each participant will have their temperature checked (anyone with a temperature 100.4 or above will not be allowed to participate in the tryout session. If you refuse to have your temperature taken you will not be allowed to participate in the tryout session.
Face coverings will be mandatory for ALL participants, friends, staff, and team personnel when not on the field participating in the tryouts. Anyone else not participating on the field MUST wear a face covering at all times.
Due to COVID-19 safety restrictions each player should bring their own water/isotonic beverage. We will not be providing this on-site. For more information on Chicago House AC’s Open Tryouts on May 22nd & 23rd at ComEd Recreation Center, please visit chicagohouseac.com/open-tryouts or email [email protected].
ABOUT CHICAGO HOUSE AC
Founded in 2020, Chicago House Athletic Club is a community-based professional soccer team which will begin play in Fall 2021 at the 20,000 capacity SeatGeek Stadium at 71st and Harlem in Bridgeview, Illinois. The team will compete in the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA,) a U.S. Soccer sanctioned third division league. Led by Managing Partner, President & CEO Peter Wilt, Chicago House AC is a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC) committed to transparency and working with its constituents to use its platform for social justice, diversity, equality, inclusion and community improvement. For more information, contact us at [email protected], visit www.chicagohouseac.com and follow on social media @ChicagoHouse_AC. “Of Chicago, By Chicago, For Chicago.” | “Our City, Our House.”
ABOUT NISA
The National Independent Soccer Association was founded in 2017 with a mission to bring professional soccer to every city in the United States. A pro league member of U.S. Soccer, NISA focuses on a model based on meritocracy, independent clubs controlling their own league, clubs owning their intellectual property, all without the barrier of territorial rights. Sanctioned by the U.S. Soccer Federation, NISA also runs the mid-summer pro-am Independent Cup tournament, the year-long amateur league NISA Nation, and NISA Media. For more information about NISA visit NISAOfficial.com or contact at [email protected]. Follow NISA on Twitter @NISALeague and on Instagram @nisasoccer.
The Blackhawks’ unexpected first-half surge in 2021 proved to be — unsurprisingly — unsustainable.
When the final horn blew on their season Monday, it happened quietly. The Hawks had been out of the playoff race for two weeks, playing out the string. They finished 24-25-7 for a .491 points percentage — their second-worst since 2007, even worse than the two previous seasons.
But getting here wasn’t the bland, pointless exercise that seemed inevitable at the beginning of January. It wasn’t even similar to the last two seasons, which were somewhat competitive but ultimately aimless.
No, the 2021 Hawks, in spite of their eventual demise, provided a compelling, entertaining and fruitful season.
Projected by every major national publication to finish among the worst five teams, they quickly found new company among the NHL’s middle class. Overcoming a disastrous opening road trip, they beat up on the Red Wings, Blue Jackets and Stars — the latter two having been expected to dominate the Hawks. After a 2-0 victory over the Jackets on Feb. 25, the Hawks had a winning record (11-6-4) for the first time since October 2018.
Two weeks later, a 4-2 win over the Stars gave the Hawks a .500 record at the season’s halfway point for the first time since 2016-17. Jeremy Colliton entered the conversation for the Jack Adams Award for top coach, Kevin Lankinen entered the Calder Trophy conversation for top goalie, winger Patrick Kane entered the Hart Trophy conversation for MVP, and the Hawks briefly became the talk of the NHL.
The Hawks maintained legitimate playoff hopes for a while in a Central Division with three dominant teams and four postseason spots. They spent a total of 65 days in or tied for one of those spots.
A 4-3 shootout victory over the defending Stanley Cup champion Lightning on March 5 boosted their odds of making the playoffs to a season-high 67.2%, per MoneyPuck.com. Only two other teams who will miss the playoffs saw their odds go above 67% in March or later — the Flyers (March 11) and Flames (March 17).
A slow decline followed, but the Hawks’ odds remained above 20% until April 4 and above 10% until April 20 — deep into the season. That gave fans a reason to watch, an emotional investment in the wins and losses, a reason to believe this strange season really mattered.
In the end, it also gave them a reason for anger and frustration when the Hawks crumbled in April and May and the Predators raced past. But even that was compelling. When the Wings, Sabres, Senators and Ducks lost games this season, it was numbing at best, irrelevant at worst. When the Hawks — originally considered peers of those teams — lost games, it mattered.
This season won’t be historically notable for any game results or decent playoff odds but rather for being the season when the Hawks turned the page on their dynasty generation and began embracing a next one.
The retirements of goalie Corey Crawford, defenseman Brent Seabrook and wing Andrew Shaw were cause for nostalgic reflection on the Stanley Cup era but also cemented its end.
Center Jonathan Toews’ step away from the team diversified the locker room leadership, giving bigger voices to guys such as wing Alex DeBrincat and defenseman Connor Murphy — roles they’ll keep even if Toews returns next season.
And the youth revolution, which the front office finally embraced last fall after three years of useless veteran additions, took hold with incredible speed. The Hawks led the NHL in games played by rookies, getting 12 of them in for at least one game.
Forwards Pius Suter and Brandon Hagel finished fourth and fifth, respectively, on the Hawks in points — the first time two rookies finished in the top five since Kane and Toews in 2008. Hagel, in particular, evolved from an overlooked prospect to a face of the new generation. Forward Philipp Kurashev also took a huge leap in his development.
Lankinen, previously as unknown as Hagel, became an every-day starter within weeks of his debut and injected much-needed stability into the goaltending unit. He now looks like a guy the Hawks can build around moving forward.
Predictably, the defense was still the Hawks’ biggest weakness, and former No. 1 prospect Ian Mitchell struggled the most among the rookies. The combination of Mitchell, Adam Boqvist, Wyatt Kalynuk, Nicolas Beaudin and recently Riley Stillman nonetheless offers hope the defense will improve in time.
Colliton and general manager Stan Bowman realistically figured this year would be about laying the groundwork for the future. Instead, the future took over.
” ‘Satisfied’ is the wrong word, but [I’m] encouraged,” Colliton said Monday. “We have a lot of positives. Ultimately, we’re not in the playoffs. . . . But as an organization, the goal was to give young players opportunity and see what they did with it. We’ve done that.”
The success in future seasons that this season made possible will of course be appreciated more when those seasons happen. And there’s no question the Hawks’ on-ice performance, particularly in the second half, could have been a lot better.
Thus, many Hawks fans might not remember 2021 fondly. But at least they will remember it.
ChicagoBears (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
Once upon a time, the Chicago Bears lost an overtime thriller to Tim Tebow and his Denver Broncos.
It wasn’t the prettiest game as the Bears had to start Caleb Hanie at quarterback. However, the Bears did hold a 10-0 lead in the fourth quarter before the Tebow magic happened. Ultimately, Bears fans will remember this game as the Marion Barber game.
Late in the fourth quarter, Barber went out of bounds instead of running out the clock. This gave the Broncos hope — and time. In overtime, Barber fumbled in Denver territory which gave Tebow the ball back and he led the Broncos down to a game-winning field goal off the foot of Matt Prater.
Tebow Time was a real, magical concept. We haven’t seen the guy play NFL football in over 3,000 days. But now, the unimaginable is happening. The Jacksonville Jaguars are close to signing Tebow to a 1-year deal — to play tight end.
Could any former Chicago Bears attempt a similar comeback to that of Tim Tebow?
It’s a valid question. Whenever something surprising like this happens, it gets people thinking.
There have been some great stories over the years in Chicago, whether it be players who have gotten hurt and fans thought they should have had one more chance, or a fan favorite whom would delight Soldier Field by giving it one more go.
What Tebow is attempting to do is pretty remarkable. His last regular season game came all the way back in 2012, nearly 10 years ago. If he were to just make the practice squad — not even the active roster — that would be an unbelievable story.
Of course, fans in Jacksonville may be rooting for more than that. To see him make the active roster would be one of the crazier sports stories in recent memory.
Back to the Bears, though. Which recent retirees could give it one more shot if they wanted to? There are five in particular which come to mind.
The Tribune is reporting that Abt Electronics in Glenview is doubling the size of its warehouse. That means I can relax.
I never know when Barb and I are going to need something from the monster electronics and home appliance store. It is our go-to, and believe me, we have gone there.
When we had a townhouse in Niles, Abt had a store in Niles. When we built a home in Arlington Heights, Abt was in nearby Morton Grove. And through our builds in Long Grove and Riverwoods, the massive Abt showroom in Glenview has been our frequent destination.
We don’t bother to shop around. We trust that we will get a good price, maybe the best price. So of course, all the original appliances for our first houses came from Abt. Redoing our kitchen in Long Grove? Yup, Abt once again. Building a new house less than two years after that kitchen makeover (OK, that was MY fault)–well of course we were going to Abt.
And it’s not just the kitchen stuff. Our new mattress is an Abt’er as well. Every TV in the house (and there are more than you can count on one hand) is Abt purchased and installed. And when the Sony sets stopped working with our Comcast cable system, Abt was there with Mitsubishi replacements.
In the height of the pandemic last spring, when Barb was cooking, cooking, cooking, we ran out of space in our kitchen fridge. and decided a garage refrigerator would be a good solution. We, along with about 1500 other Sunday shoppers, masks over mouths (and some noses) braved the Abt showroom. It remains as the biggest crowd we have been in over the last 15 months. We weren’t totally comfortable, but we got our new fridge, and at a good price too.
We have instilled Abt loyalty in the whole family. The store did a great job heating our son’s screened-in porch last fall. That has kept us warm through quite a few “outdoor” celebrations.
So Abt family, thank you for expanding that warehouse. You never know when Barb and I will think of a new project (NOT a new house.) And we wouldn’t want you to be out of stock on any whiz-bang gadget we might need!
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Hi! I am Les, a practicing pathologist living in the North Suburbs and commuting every day to the Western ones. I have lived my entire life in the Chicago area, and have a pretty good feel for the place, its attractions, culture, restaurants and teams. My wife and I are empty-nesters with two adult children and a grandchild. We recently decided to downsize, but just a bit! I will be telling the story of the construction of our new home, but also writing about whatever gets me going on a particular day. Be sure to check out the “About” page to learn more about where we plan to go with this blog!
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“We’re looking forward to watching these prospective players express themselves as individuals on the field at their respective positions,” says Chicago House AC Head Coach & Technical Director, C.J. Brown. “We have an opportunity to build something special and it starts with these Open Tryouts.”
lesraff
January 17, 2020 at 12:00 am